Courtesy of The Courier Mail: Terry McLaren (Director of Clinical Services), Dr Joy Chakraborty (general surgeon), and Jean Clark (patient)
Robotic surgical system saves
life of 93-year-old grandmother
A 93-year-old Brisbane woman has become one of the oldest people in the world to
undergo major robotic bowel cancer surgery.
Earlier this year, a tumour was found
on the right side of Jean Clark’s bowel
during a colonoscopy.
Greenslopes Private Hospital colorectal
surgeon Dr Joy Chakraborty was
brought in to talk to her about her
options.
Dr Chakraborty said Mrs Clark was
determined to have surgery.
“She said, ‘doc, I want to live for longer
so I can spend more time with my
children and grandchildren’,” he said.
Dr Chakraborty said the woman was in
good health for her age and considered
suitable to be put under anaesthetic.
“But we wanted to do something
minimally invasive to lessen her pain,
improve her recovery and reduce the
greenslopesprivate.com.au | 3
risk for complications – so we decided
to do it robotically,” he said.
Dr Chakraborty said Greenslopes
Private Hospital’s robotic surgical
system, which he is using for more
and more procedures, enabled him to
remove the cancer and stitch the bowel
back together without exposing her to
any major incisions.
“The technology that we now have, it
makes the hairs on the back of your
neck stand up – it’s amazing,” he said.
The grandmother was walking around
the ward within a day, eating and
drinking normally and had her bowel
function return to normal.
She stopped taking even Panadol on
the second day because she wasn’t in
any pain and was able to go home 24
hours after that.
Dr Chakraborty said although people of
her age had undergone smaller robotic
procedures before, bowel surgery was a
big operation.
“To walk away without pain is
incredible,” he said.
Dr Chakraborty said robotic surgery
was a game-changer for anyone who
needed a major bowel operation.
“They typically experience less pain,
their recovery is faster and because
they leave hospital quicker, they have
less exposure to infections,” he said.
“The whole health care system also
benefits because it makes more beds
available for other patients.”